The Reel Dr. Bob

JANUARY 26, 2012

DEAR FRIENDS:

 

     I’m back after 6 weeks away. My last Newsletter was sent on Jan. 5 from Florida. Since then I’ve seen some really wonderful movies at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. I watched movies there for 5 days and I will list them for you with a BRIEF description and opinion. Of the 8 films that I saw, I loved 6, one was OK and one I didn’t care for too much. As it turns out, of the 8 films I saw 3 were among the 5 nominated by the Academy for Best Foreign Film of 2011.

     I will follow the progress of these films and let you know when they are coming either to theaters or to the rental market. While waiting on lines I also heard about other films that sound interesting and, of course, I’ll watch for them as well.

 

1) HOW BIG IS YOUR LOVE– From Algeria, this movie was really special and portrayed the love of 2 grandparents for their grandson. Terrific movie.

2) VOLCANO– About a family that was displaced after a volcano in Iceland in 1973. Excellent.

3) MONSIEUR LAZHAR– About a teacher from Algeria who takes a job as an elementary school teacher in Montreal after the current teacher dies tragically. Wonderful movie- Best Foreign Film Nominee.

4) FOOTNOTE– About a father son relationship in Israel. Both are researchers in Academia and when one is to be awarded a prestigious honor the conflict escalates. Great movie. Best Foreign Film Nominee.

5) BACK TO YOUR ARMS– Takes place in 1961 Berlin and is about the secretive Soviet society and the German Stasi. This was the only one that I didn’t care for.

6) A SEPARATION– This movie has already opened to rave reviews in NY. I just “liked it” but most of my friends who were with me liked it more. Best Foreign Film Nominee.

7) TERRAFERMA– About an Italian family living on an island off the coast of Italy. When father rescues a boatload of illegal immigrants he must decide how to handle this issue. I liked this very much.

8)DAVID- About a Muslim boy in NY who is mistaken for Jewish when he goes to a Yeshiva to return a book he has found. I really enjoyed this one.

 

OTHER MOVIES I’VE SEEN SINCE MY LAST NEWSLETTER-

 

 

1) GARBO: THE SPY– 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “Using interviews, archival footage and clips from old movies, director Edmon Roch tells the fascinating tale of Juan Pujol, a Spaniard who, under the codename Garbo, worked as a double agent during World War II and helped the Allies win the war.”11/18/11- A very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

1/4/12- Just saw this in Florida and I liked it. TRDB.

NETFLIX-

1) THE GREEN– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Michael, an idealistic drama teacher, moves to Connecticut with his partner, Daniel, but their idyllic life is shattered when a troubled high school student accuses Michael of molestation and everyone, including Daniel, assumes that he’s guilty.” A few reviews and they are all very good. TRDB.

1/13/12- Incredibly stupid screenplay and I turned it off. TRDB. Netflix.

2) ANOTHER EARTH– 2010. Premise by Netflix. “Shortly after a strange, Earth-like planet is discovered, gifted astrophysics student Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling) accidentally slams her car into the vehicle of John Burroughs (William Mapother), killing his family. After some time, Rhoda and John begin an unlikely romance. But Rhoda starts to wonder what would happen if she could actually visit the new planet in director Mike Cahill’s romantic sci-fi drama.” At Sundance 2011. Sounds interesting and good reviews as well. TRDB.

1/15/12- A few interesting parts but basically fairly ridiculous. TRDB. Netflix.

3) EMPTY NEST– 2008. Synopsis by Netflix. “Writer-director Daniel Burman crafts this knowing look at the shifting dynamics of a marriage. The story centers on Leonardo (Oscar Martínez), a self-absorbed, middle-aged playwright, and his wife, Martha (Cecilia Roth). Their three children are grown and out of the house, leaving them to focus on their identities, both as individuals and a couple for the first time in years. Arturo Goetz and Eugenia Capizzano co-star.”

1/18/12- An OK drama that I stayed with even though it’s very slow at times. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

4) SPECIAL TREATMENT– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “High-class prostitute Alice (Isabelle Huppert) specializes in wealthy, eccentric clients and is in the throes of a midlife crisis when her services are engaged by prominent psychiatrist Xavier (Bouli Lanners), who’s estranged from his wife and suffering his own existential malaise. While Alice seeks an analyst who can help her find direction, Xavier tries to reconnect with his emotions, and the two unwittingly lead each other to their goals.”

8/27/11- Weak review in today’s NY Times and poor reviews in general. TRDB.

1/22/12- Weak reviews for this drama starring Isabel Huppert but I found it entertaining. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

5) FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This raucous rom-com chronicles the relationship of two busy singles, Dylan (Justin Timberlake) and Jamie (Mila Kunis), who agree to include sex in their friendship — minus the emotions and commitment. But things get complicated when Dylan (inevitably?) falls for his gal pal. Patricia Clarkson co-stars as Jaime’s hip mom and Woody Harrelson plays Dylan’s practical confidante, who advises him to man up when he pursues the newly dating Jamie.” Actually got an OK review from NY Times on 7/22/11. TRDB.

1/24/12- Despite the good reviews and a few funny situations I thought the movie was ridiculous and I turned it off midway. TRDB. Netflix.

6) THE GUARD– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “When tightly wound FBI agent Wendell Everett (Don Cheadle) invades an Irish village in pursuit of international drug dealers, wisecracking local copper Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson) does his best to annoy the American and get on with his circumscribed life. But soon there’s a murder, and Boyle finds himself swept up in detective work way beyond his pay grade. John Michael McDonagh directs this action-filled comedy.” Very good reviews. TRDB.

1/23/12- I almost turned this movie off halfway but it did get better and I enjoyed the 2nd. half. TRDB. Netflix.

7) HELL AND BACK AGAIN– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this unvarnished documentary set on the Afghan front line, U.S. Marine Sgt. Nathan Harris is wounded by Taliban machine-gun fire, then returns to his North Carolina home to grapple with the stress of civilian life. Embedded with Harris’s company on the battlefield, filmmaker Danfung Dennis discovers that for the 25-year-old veteran, recovering from a bullet to the head is no tougher than regaining a foothold in an apathetic homeland.” At Sundance 2011. Fair audience reviews and a few professional reviews– all good. TRDB.

1/24/12- Another reminder that war is hell. Very well done and highly recommended. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

8)THE WAR BRIDE– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Shortly after English seamstress Lily (Anna Friel) marries and has a child with soldier Charlie (Aden Young), he ships out to World War II. Moving to his family’s farm, Lily finds herself stuck in a lonely place and at odds with her husband’s kin. Brenda Fricker co-stars as Charlie’s hostile mother, and Molly Parker plays Sylvia, Lily’s disabled sister-in-law. Lyndon Chubbuck (The Right Temptation) directs.”

1/25/12- After a slow start just when I thought this was a made for TV movie it got a lot better and I enjoyed it. TRDB. Netflix Streaming.

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COMING TO NETFLIX ON TUESDAY, JAN. 31-

1) CONTAGION– 2011- Synopsis by Netflix. “Steven Soderbergh steers big stars through this big-screen disaster-thriller about a global team of doctors tasked with tamping down a deadly outbreak of infectious disease before it annihilates mankind.”

9/9/11- Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2) DRIVE– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “In this thriller, Driver, a Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver, is lured from his isolated life by a lovely neighbor and her young son. His newfound peace is shattered, however, when her violent husband is released from prison.” Very good reviews. TRDB.

9/16/11- Good review today in the Times but at one point they did say that the movie was saved from tedium by the supporting cast, whatever that means. TRDB.

9/22/11- A thriller and I agree with the comment above that the acting, particularly from Gosling, made the movie. Don’t go if you’re squeamish! TRDB.

3) JANIE JONES– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Deserted by her drug-addicted mom (Elisabeth Shue) — a former groupie — in the middle of a rock concert, 13-year-old Janie (Abigail Breslin) drastically alters the course of her life when she announces to the band’s temperamental singer (Alessandro Nivola) that she’s his daughter. Although they’ve never met before, father and daughter go on the road together, eventually bonding over music and more.” Good audience reaction but no professional reviews as yet. TRDB.

10/28/11- OK review in today’s NY Times but they commented on a poor ending. TRDB.

4) THUNDER SOUL– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “Mark Landsman totes his cameras to a tight-knit North Houston community in this poignant documentary, which celebrates an inner-city high school band leader’s lasting influence on his now-grown students. When Conrad “Prof” Johnson took the reins of the jazz band at Kashmere High School in the 1970s, he had a group that was mediocre at best. But before anyone knew it, the school had a funk powerhouse on its hands. The film picked up awards at both the L.A. Film Festival and South by Southwest.” A few fair reviews. TRDB.

5) RESURRECT DEAD– 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “For three decades, strange plaques with messages about resurrecting the dead have mysteriously appeared on streets throughout North and South America, prompting director Jon Foy to seek out the story of their origin. Artist Justin Duerr, who began investigating the tiles in 1993, takes us on a tour of unusual and seemingly random clues, and in the process resurrects not the dead, but the innate human desire for magic and mystery.”

9/2/11- OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

6) TODAY’S SPECIAL– 2010. Premise by Netflix. “After he gets passed over for promotion, haute cuisine sous chef Samir (Aasif Mandvi) quits to pursue his dream of cooking in Paris, but an emergency forces him to take over his family’s shabby Indian restaurant in Queens. Taxi driver-turned-chef Akbar (Naseeruddin Shah) shares his passion for Indian food with Samir, whose romance with fellow chef Carrie (Jess Weixler) fuels his desire to prove himself and save the restaurant.” Fair review in NY Times 11/19/10. Good reviews in general. TRDB.

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OPENING THIS WEEK-

1) DECLARATION OF WAR– 2011. Fatefully named actors Roméo and Juliette fall in love and have a baby. But the stars in their eyes are dimmed when their son falls gravely ill. As they desperately cling to their image of the perfect family, they can’t ignore the devastating truth.” Average audience reviews and no professional reviews as yet. TRDB.

2) LULA, THE SON OF BRAZIL– 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “Adapted from a biography by journalist Denise Paraná, this big-budget epic chronicles the formative years of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva — aka Lula — who overcame formidable obstacles to become the president of Brazil in 2003. Lula and his six young siblings live in poverty and are sent to work early; an accident on the job drives the adult Lula (Rui Ricardo Diaz) into union activism, planting the seeds for a future in politics.” Fair  reviews at best. TRDB.

3) MAN ON A LEDGE– 2012. “When fugitive ex-cop Nick Cassidy steps onto a window ledge high above a busy Manhattan street, police psychologist Lydia Anderson tries to talk him down. But soon Anderson suspects that there’s more to Cassidy’s stunt than meets the eye.” Very good audience reaction but awful professional reviews. TRDB.

4) RAMPART- 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Dave Brown is a dirty cop with a mile-wide mean streak. As he roams the streets meting out “justice,” the LAPD sinks into a corruption scandal. The countdown to Brown’s judgment is on in this fact-based film co-written by crime novelist James Ellroy.” Fairly good reviews including a few very good ones. TRDB.

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FLORIDA- At the Stonzek Theater Lake Worth Playhouse-

1) YOUNG GOETHE IN LOVE– 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “The love life of aspiring young poet Johann Goethe is the subject of this period biopic. As Goethe strains against his family’s expectation that he study law, he falls in love with Lotte, who is to be wed to another.”

11/4/11- Just an OK review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

2) GARBO: THE SPY– 2009. Synopsis by Netflix. “Using interviews, archival footage and clips from old movies, director Edmon Roch tells the fascinating tale of Juan Pujol, a Spaniard who, under the codename Garbo, worked as a double agent during World War II and helped the Allies win the war.”

11/18/11- A very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

1/4/12- Just saw this in Florida and I liked it. TRDB.

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COMCAST ON-DEMAND- In the 6 weeks I’ve been away there have been many changes to this list. Just 13 of the 34 movies that I listed on Jan. 8 remain on the list. Beginning next time I will again list the new additions that I recommend.

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BOB’S PICKS IN THE SUBURBS- ( Westchester and Fairfield Counties)

1) ABERT NOBBS– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Clearview 100. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Having for decades disguised herself as a man while working as a butler in a posh 19th-century Dublin hotel, a woman calling herself Albert Nobbs reconsiders her charade when a handsome painter arrives on the scene.” Weak professional reviews but good audience reaction. TRDB.

2) EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE– Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Believing that his father left him a message before dying in the September 11 attacks, young Oskar Schell embarks on an emotional odyssey through New York City to find the lock that matches a key he found among his father’s belongings.” Weak reviews in general. TRDB.

3) THE IRON LADY– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Meryl Streep provides a subtle and nuanced portrait of Margaret Thatcher, the first female prime minister of Britain, whose political career and determination changed the rules that had limited women’s opportunities for leadership.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.

12/30/11- A weak review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

4) THE ARTIST– Jacob Burns, Bethel, Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “This modern-day silent film artfully recounts the poignant end of the silent-movie era in the late 1920s. The story contrasts the declining fortunes of a silent-screen superstar with his lover’s rise to popularity as a darling of the “talkies.”

11/26/11- Great reviews including one in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

12/24/11- I liked this movie very much. Very creative, well acted and an interesting story as well. TRDB.

5) THE DESCENDANTS– Saw Mill Hawthorne, Danbury, Clearview 100. 2010. Synopsis by Netflix. “When his wife is killed in a Waikiki boating accident, distant father Matt King (George Clooney) begins an iffy journey to repair his fractured relationship with his two daughters. But he’s also trying to decide whether to let go of some valuable family real estate. Judy Greer, Beau Bridges and Matthew Lillard co-star in this tragic-comic tale of legacy and unexpected loss based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings.” Very good early reviews. TRDB.

11/26/11- A very thoughtful and well acted family drama. Humor intersperced with all of the serious material lightened up an otherwise overwhelming drama. Recommended highly. TRDB.

6) A SEPARATION– Jacob Burns. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “An Iranian husband and wife split up over his decision to stay and care for his aging father instead of leaving the country with his family. But his fateful choice to hire a stranger to do most of the caretaking breeds unexpected consequences.” Very good reviews and indeed on the top ten list of at least one reviewer I’ve read. TRDB.

12/30/11- A very good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

1/13/12- I saw this at the Palm Springs Film Festival 2012 and liked it but not as much as most of my friends. TRDB.

7) WAR HORSE- Danbury. 2011. Synopsis by Netflix. “Adapted from a novel by Michael Morpurgo, this majestic World War I drama centers on Devon lad Albert and his steadfast horse, Joey, whose faithful bond cannot be shaken — even when Joey is sold to the cavalry and sent off to France.” Good reviews although it’s been snubbed by the Golden Globe nominations. TRDB.

12/23/11- Good review in today’s NY Times. TRDB.

12/25/11- Loads of schmaltz and corn and as far as I’m concerned a real disappointment. TRDB.

ENJOY!

—
THE REEL DR. BOB
The Reel Dr. Bob